1. Technical Field Pertinent to the Invention
The present invention relates to a tillering promoter for a plant comprising, as the effective ingredient(s), an amino acid, especially at least one of arginine, glutamine and proline which is effective for increasing tillering (as well known, branching out from the joints of stems near to the roots of rice, barley and wheat, lawn grass or the like) and weight of living plant, or inosine in addition to the amino(s) acid, and to the use of such a tillering promoter for a plant, or it relates to a method for tillering promotion of a plant wherein the amino acid(s) and inosine are each applied to the same part(s) or different part(s) of the plant at the same time or at slightly different times (i.e., used in combination).
2. Related Art
The present inventors have previously developed a withering preventing and quick-acting nutrition supplementing agent for a gramineous plant comprising proline, one kind of amino acid, or inosine in addition thereto, as the effective ingredient(s) (Japanese Patent Application No. 308,281/1999). As a result of the studies for finding out further novel effects, the present inventors have achieved the present invention.
Hitherto, some examples have been known wherein an amino acid-related compound, e.g., proline is applied to a plant.
For example, (a) Japanese Patent Publication No. 42,566/1971 discloses a promoter of flower bud formation comprising at least one of uracil and cytosine, and proline.
However, since the increase of the number of tillering is not observed in the promoter of flower bud formation and the method of application is different from the case of the present invention, the promoter is obviously different from the present invention.
Furthermore, for the promotion of the tillering of lawn grass, there are known some examples wherein substances having indole skeleton(s) or plant hormone(s).
For example, (a) Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 267,803/1995 discloses a tillering promoter for a gramineous plant comprising an fluorine-containing indolebutyric acid derivative, e.g., an alkyl ester of 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(indole-3-)butyric acid.
However, the tillering promoter is a chemical fertilizer and thus, it is obviously different from the present invention wherein amino acids, i.e., natural products are utilized, in view of the influence against the environment.
Moreover, (b) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 82,113/1995 discloses a growth promoter of lawn grass comprising a gibberellin and a cytokine.
However, the growth promoter for lawn grass comprises plant hormones of gibberellin and cytokine, and thus, there is a possibility of exerting undesirable influences on the natural environment, so that the promoter is obviously different from the present invention.
Furthermore, (c) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 201,914/1991 discloses a method for the promotion of the rooting and tillering of rice seedlings for transplantation, which comprises applying an amino acid fermentation liquid (containing, for example, proline, alanine, valine, and glutamic acid all together) during raising of seedlings in wet-rice farming.
However, in the method of tillering promotion, proline is not solely used, and the amount of the amino acid fermentation liquid to be used is defined as total concentration of the amino acids, so that these amino acids are placed on the same level, i.e., are treated as equivalents.
Incidentally, for example, lawns are utilized in many places such as parks, gardens and ball game fields, and are particularly indispensable for golf courses. However, a large quantity of fertilizers and pesticides has hitherto been used for maintenance of lawn grass and the use has become a big problem in view of the environmental aspect.
In particular, the stress by high temperature causes cold-district type lawn grass indirect growth stop and direct withering, but there is only a measure of good air-ventilation against the problems.